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Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium
Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos,
detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam
up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as
surfactants.

SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid - SLS is also known
as "Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt", however there are over
150 different names by which it is known - see them here.
In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane,
a known carcinogen.

Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl
Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore
much longer-lasting.

A report published
in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that
concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of
10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. National
Institutes of Health "Household Products Directory" of chemical ingredients
lists over 80 products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Some soaps have
concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly
irritating and dangerous".

Shampoos are among the most frequently reported products to the
FDA. Reports include eye irritation, scalp irritation, tangled hair, swelling
of the hands, face and arms and split and fuzzy hair. The main cause of these
problems is sodium lauryl sulfate.

So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and
shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate
found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or
even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium
lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying
effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which
causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier
access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin.

Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from
skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium
lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has
many health
implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems
from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping
male fertility and increasing female cancers such
as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be
involved.